Gautam Buddha
16 Jul 2021 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
Gautam Buddha (Light of Asia) was born in Kapilvastu Lumbini(Nepal) in 563 BC as the prince Siddhartha Gautam.He showed the whole world the path of peace and non-violence . Gautam Buddha has laid the foundation of Buddhism . When Gautam was born, there was the general prediction which said ,` The baby would become a great king , teacher or a great saint . Gautam Buddha was very kind since childhood . As a prince ,he was brought up in a palace with all the comforts and luxuries possible though he realized that these things could not provide lasting happiness or protection form sufferings so , he always worried about cause of this suffering and its solution. His father tried his best to keep his young son away from the miseries of the world. When Siddhartha was 16,his father arranged his marriage with Yasodhara. After marriage ,they had a son named Rahul. Even this did not make him happy .
Suddenly,at age 29,he was confronted with the impermance and suffering . On a rare outing from his luxurious palace,he saw somebody desperately sick . The next day ,he saw a decrepit old man, and finally a dead person . He was very sad that sickness, ageing, and death will come to everyone he cared . Gautam wanted to find the truth and ultimate knowledge. the next,morning the prince walked path the meditator who sat in deep absorption . He realized that the perfection he had been seeking outside must be within the mind itself . Meeting that man gave the future Buddha ,a first and enticing taste of mind, true and lasting refuge ,which he knew he had to experience himself for the good of all .
Siddhartha left his palace and family to lead an ascetic life . He thought living the life of self-denial will provide him with the answers he was looking for. He travelled around looking for teachers to discover the reality of life and nature. But their teaching did not satisfy him so he set his own path.
Finally, at a place called Bodhgaya, the future Buddha decided to remain in meditation until he knew mind`s true nature and could benefit all beings. Siddhartha was calmed and relaxed .As he sat ,his concentration depend and wisdom grew brighter .He looked deeply into himself and began to examine true nature of life . He discovered we born, live , and die not one time. He saw that death is only the separation of the mind from its body. After death ,the importance of karma is central to the next journey . It was then he got pure enlighten. And at the moment of enlightenment ,Siddhartha Gautam became a Buddha which means –“Awakened one “ or “The enlightened one “. He gained complete insight into the cause of suffering and the steps necessary to eliminate it . He called these steps the “Four Noble Truths” .He understood the miseries of the life and death. The search of six long years has ended .It was a day when the full moon shone, casting a bright silver light on the whole countryside ,a day in the month of Baisakhi (May). Then, he decided to share his knowledge with the world . Throughout his life ,Buddha encouraged his students to question his teachings and confirm them through their own experience.
- He taught the world non-violence .
- He also told the people that desires of man were the root cause of all the troubles .
- In his serman he focused on Four Noble Truths –suffering, cause of suffering ,state of mind free from suffering and way to end suffering .
- He gave the message of truth ,peace ,humanity and equality .
When Gautam Buddha passed away in 483 BCE (aged 80) ,his followers began to organize a religious moments. Buddha `s teaching became the foundation for which later on developed into Buddhism.